Sailosi Tagicakibau

Sailosi Tagicakibau

Full name	Sailosi Tagicakibau
Date of birth	14 November 1982
Place of birth	Auckland, New Zealand
Height	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)[1][2]
School	Wesley College, Auckland
Notable relative(s)	Michael Tagicakibau (brother)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Wing
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005–2014 2014-2016	London Irish Wasps	157 34	(285) (40)
correct as of 27 February 2014.
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2004–05	Taranaki	17	35
correct as of 27 February 2014.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2005 2014	Chiefs → Stormers	7 10	(5) (5)
correct as of 12 July 2014.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2003–11 2006–08	Samoa Pacific Islanders	21 3	(35) (0)

Sailosi Tagicakibau (born 14 November 1982 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a rugby union footballer who has played at wing for London Irish and Wasps in the Aviva Premiership.

He spent the majority of his career with English Premiership side London Irish,^[3] making in excess of 150 appearances.^[4] He played international rugby for Samoa, achieving 21 caps.^[5] By contrast, his brother, Scarlets player Michael, has played for Fiji.

Personal life

Tagicakibau has a Fijian father and Samoan mother. He was a talented all-rounder in his school years excelling at basketball, athletics and rugby union.

He is the eldest of five children, his brother Michael also plays professional rugby.

Prior to competing in professional rugby, he attended Papakura High School and Wesley College rugby schools in New Zealand. He played in Auckland Tailevu sevens team, coached by his father.

Career

Club career

After college, he joined the Taranaki club and came under the guidance of the great All Black Kieran Crowley. He appeared in every National Provincial Championship match during his first season, scoring six tries and was subsequently invited to join the Chiefs for whom he played in eight Super 12 games.

In November 2005, Tagicakibau signed with English Premiership club London Irish and his debut match for the Exiles was on 28 January 2006 against Gloucester.

After nine years at London Irish, Tagicakibau was loaned out to South African Super Rugby side the Stormers 2014 Super Rugby season.^[6] After he left London Irish, Sailosi signed for Premiership rivals Wasps from the 2014-15 season.^[7] In September 2016 Wasps announced that Tagicakibau had left the club, after they had released him from his contract, at his request, for family reasons.^[8]

National team

Sailosi made his debut for the Samoa Sevens national team in 2003, making several appearances and becoming a team staple. Later that year he was selected as part of the Samoa World Cup squad, where he scored tries against Georgia and Uruguay. He has since represented Samoa at the 2007 World Cup held in France and at the 2011 World Cup hosted in his home country of New Zealand. In addition, he has played for Samoa in the Pacific Nations Cup against Fiji, Tonga and Japan, as well as a number of friendlies.

Other notable honours include his inclusion in the 2008 Pacific Islanders squad and the 2012 World Barbarians team.

References

1. "Aviva Premiership Rugby - London Irish". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
2. http://www.wasps.co.uk/players-staff/player/113979Sailosi-Tagicakibau
3. "Sailosi Tagicakibau profile". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
4. "It's Rugby Player Profile : Sailosi Tagicakibau". It's Rugby. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
5. "ESPN Player Profile : Sailosi Tagicakibau". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
6. "Tagicakibau to join DHL Stormers" (Press release). Stormers. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
7. "Wasps sign Samoan winger Sailosi Tagicakibau from London Irish". Sky Sports. 15 August 2014.
8. "Sailosi Tagicakibau released from contract". Retrieved 1 September 2016.